


Brown Eyes I'll Hold You Near (You're The Only Song I Want To Hear)

by AabH



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anal Sex, Bisexual Mike Wheeler, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gay Will Byers, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Mike Wheeler Loves Will Byers, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Will Byers Loves Mike Wheeler, Will Byers-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:54:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24766507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AabH/pseuds/AabH
Summary: Soulmate AU. Will Byers has been waiting his whole life to find his soul's missing piece. When he does, it doesn't go exactly the way he'd always dreamed.**Will watched the other man from the corner of his eye as the professor began speaking. Mike typed steadily, only pausing to chew on his highlighter or raise his hand to answer questions, drawing attention to Will’s little corner and making Will shrink a little at the eyes turned to his general vicinity. Every time Mike spoke, his adams apple bobbed, the tenor of his voice echoed through Will’s ears like a drum and Will shivered at the sound.Will could barely hear the professor speaking, he was too distracted by Mike’s close proximity. Jesus Christ, how was he supposed to concentrate when all he wanted to do was touch Mike, grab him and shake him and ask why the other man didn’t recognize Will? Why hadn’t he rejoiced at finding his perfect other half? Why didn’t he even look at Will like something life changing and remarkable had happened to them? Will’s face felt hot and he wanted to scream.
Relationships: Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
Comments: 21
Kudos: 117





	Brown Eyes I'll Hold You Near (You're The Only Song I Want To Hear)

**Author's Note:**

> CW: Explicit sexual content, swearing, mild angst. Mostly fluff to take my mind off things. Enjoy.

Will _couldn’t wait_ to fall in love. 

For as long as Will could remember, he’d known about the marks. They were almost tattoos of sorts that appeared on your skin and when they did, it was to let you know your perfect person, your soulmate, was close by. The marks, the words, could appear at any time as long as you’d never heard your soulmate speak before. They could be anywhere on your body and Will used to spend hours scouring himself for the clue (on his back, the bottom of his feet, and even beneath his hair on his scalp). It was like a treasure hunt and Will woke every day prepared to find his prize. Will wanted the words _so badly_ , the first thing he’d ever hear his soulmate say. 

People always told stories about the words, about their origins and as a child, Will had loved the idea that your soulmate was the literal other half of yourself, split by angry Gods when humans became too powerful and stopped relying on deities for things. As punishment for humanity's strength and defiance, the Gods cut the people in two and banished them, separating you from the other half of yourself to live and die in misery and loneliness. One God took mercy on humanity and blessed them with the words, as a way of finding their way home, to be whole again. Will loved those stories, he could have listened to them for hours if his mother had had the patience to tell them for that long.

Some folks said that when the world was young and small, and people lived near each other that you’d be born with your words. But as the world grew and people moved and spread out, that became less and less common. Sure, kids that grew up on the same street might be born with their marks and get to spend their lives growing up and knowing and loving each other but… for everyone else, patience was a virtue. Because what if your soulmate was in Europe and you in the Americas? What good would it do to be born with words you might never hear? What good were they if you never even met the person who uttered them?

So, more often than not, the words appeared later in life. It was almost as if the universe was trying to right itself, correct the error humans had made by spreading themselves so far and so thin. Like the Gods themselves were taking time to individually evaluate each situation and find the missing part of your soul somewhere nearby. Will thought it was like the string of fate were being woven carefully, tied and cut in a way that would draw you close to your missing half in a natural, organic way. 

Will’s own mother didn’t get her words until she was near forty and already had two children and one unhappy marriage. Even so, her soul found it’s missing piece in the kind eyes and gentle smile of Bob Newby and she was happy just to have finally found him. That wasn’t uncommon, actually, marrying someone besides the person who’s words matched you. Lots of people dated and married people whose words weren't right. Defiers, they were called. 

Some Defiers were happy, having gone against fate and found love anyway. Others suffered because of it. You could become physically ill if you refused the person who had your words. Some people experimented with having the words removed by laser treatment or even surgery and that seemed to help ease the symptoms and then of course there was medication that had been developed over the years to help with the rest. How were political marriages supposed to work if both participants were too sick from defying to even have a life? Will used to hear whispers about people actually dying from defying (but when he’d tried to look into it as a teenager the scientific articles seemed to offer mixed opinions on the matter).

Not that it mattered to Will personally. He knew, even from the time he was a child, that he only wanted that unknown person the universe had created just for him, the one person who’d complete Will and make him whole. Will knew whoever it was would heal all his hurts and just _know_ him down to his core. Will wouldn’t settle for any less. Will just hoped he wouldn’t have to wait as long as his mother had to find the person who spoke his words (it sounded like torture).

But…

Will’s words didn’t come. It didn’t matter how hard he searched himself over or how much Will willed them to appear, his skin stayed clear. Will knew there were some people who never got their words, but it was rare. Some people theorized that there were some individuals who were too damaged to even have a perfect love, or people whose love had died before they ever got a chance to meet so they’d just have to wait and hope for better luck in the next life. Will couldn’t even imagine it, being half a person his whole life. He’d rather die than live like that. 

As the years passed and he got a little older, Will saw others with their marks. A lot appeared during highschool, when all of the neighboring schools and kids came together for the first time and it made him sick with excitement (and resentment) to watch others find their perfect person. Will still scoured himself, searching for them, the words he longed for. What would they say? Would it be a poem? A proclamation of love and adoration? Would his other half hear him speak first and have their own words paint Will’s body with enthusiasm and devotion? A surprised exclamation? Will couldn’t wait to find out. 

When he was a senior, Will stopped looking for them, the words. He stopped checking between his toes and behind his ears when he woke up in the mornings or when he showered. What was the likelihood his eternal romance and undying love would move to his school his senior year? It was starting to look hopeless. Maybe he wouldn’t meet them until he joined the workforce (if they existed at all). Maybe Will was one of the people so damaged he wasn’t meant to have a second half, someone to complete him. Maybe they’d already died long before Will ever got to lay eyes on them. 

Will gave up. He lay in his bed and wept for a love he’d never have, one he’d never know and wished he would hurry up and die so he could try again next time. Life was too lonely and cold to spend alone.

Will _never_ wanted to fall in love. 

It wasn’t until his second year of college that the words appeared. It was maybe a week or so before the semester even started and Will had already settled into his dorm, fully unpacked and ready for what would be a promising year. He woke and lay quietly listening to his roommate, Dustin, snore softly across the room for a moment before moving. When he finally did, Will rolled to his side and stared out the window, enjoying the warm, end of summer air through the screen and watching the leaves dance in the breeze. When he raised his hands to rub his eyes and clear the sleep from himself, Will froze, noticing a dark mark on the underside of his bicep, near his armpit. 

Will blinked at it and tried to clear his vision so he could determine exactly what it was he was looking at. He rolled onto his stomach, heart thudding with excitement as he twisted and tried to see the words he’d been waiting his whole life for. 

“‘So I’m sitting there, barbeque sauce on my titties…’” Will mumbled, trying to decipher the words from the odd location they had chosen to appear. 

Wait, _what_?

Will frowned, baffled. 

What was this? Had Dustin scrawled this on Will while he slept as a joke? Some kind of hazing of his new roommate? If so, it wasn’t funny.

Will licked his thumb and rubbed at the words, willing them to come off. They didn’t budge and he frowned harder. 

_Well what the fuck._

Will wasn’t even attracted to breasts, how could his perfect person have titties to spill barbeque sauce on? And what the hell kind of story would they be telling that _these_ were the first words Will would hear them speak?

This _had_ to be a joke, a giant cosmic prank. Will had waited his whole life to know what the words would be and this is what they were? Where were the words of devotion, the proclamations of love? Will frowned harder, beyond disappointed, actual dread creeping up in him. He rolled over again and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself and the panic that was threatening to rise in him. 

Well, at least the words were unique. It could be worse, right? A generic ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ could easily be missed in casual conversations. And, now that the words had appeared it meant his soulmate was nearby at last. Will felt his heart swell at that, even if the words were crass and his love may be the wrong gender. Will closed his eyes and tried to imagine what they would be like. Would they be funny? Bold? Shy? Would they be afraid of the high dive at the pool or would they be a daredevil, forcing Will out of his comfort zone to try new things? Fuck the breasts, Will couldn’t wait to meet them.

**

But weeks passed and classes started with no luck. Even though Will tried as hard as he could to listen in to every passing conversation, paying close attention to everything uttered in the library and lecture halls between students, he didn’t hear the words he was searching for. Maybe the titties in question really had been a mistake, a cosmic fuck up of epic proportions and his special someone really was just… out of reach. At another university maybe? Another state, country? Hadn’t the universe fucked up enough by giving his eternal love the wrong body, did it really have to misplace them too?

Will threw himself into other things, refusing to focus on what was obviously a lost cause. Instead, since Will had joined the campus D&D club during the summer, before classes even started, that's what he decided to focus on. Will began running games weekly and continued to do so once school was in full swing. A surprising amount of people joined in to play and it became something of a party every weekend. Dustin had been one of the first volunteers over the summer (in fact, it was how he and Will met) and even invited a group of his friends along to watch a session when Will told him the group would be facing the BBEG that night. Yeah, the observers came a little late and it was a bit of added pressure but Will didn’t mind terribly. He’d been planning this encounter for weeks, working on the stat block and memorizing his player’s character sheets so he could try and prepare for every possibility. Having the added audience made him a little nervous but Will was sure it would be worth it for his players to have the experience he’d planned for them. 

Will watched from behind the DM screen as the group argued about what to do and Dustin’s friends filed in and lined up politely to watch the game. Will smiled to himself, noting how none of the players had bothered to check for traps, too distracted by the argument. When the group finally decided on a course of action and presented it to him, Will laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them, nodding while he suppressed a smile that threatened to give away his plans. He took a breath and finally spoke. 

“I need everyone to make a dexterity saving throw,” he started, only pausing when the group began to bitch half heartedly. 

Will raised a hand to quiet them. 

“At disadvantage because you’re all drunk!” he concluded, causing the group to erupt in _full hearted_ bitching as the spectators made sounds of amusement. 

Will smiled as one by one his players all failed their saves (aside from the rogue and the monk, but Will had expected them to succeed, even at disadvantage). The battle that ensued was epic; PCs dropped like flies as spare the dying and healing word were spammed with abandon. By the second revivify, Will had raised himself up so he was standing over the table to narrate the unfolding battle. When his players were down to their last spell slots and healing potions, Will focused in on Dustin who’s friends had crowded behind him to watch. 

“Ser Merrik of the Singing Scimitars, how would you like to proceed?” he asked, knowing Dustin would have at least one or two tricks up his sleeve. 

Dustin considered, furrowing his brow as he looked the battlemap over. 

“I’d like to draw a card from the Deck of Many Things,” the curly haired man finally said, staring at Will who blinked in surprise. 

Well, that was certainly a trick. 

The table erupted into shouts of ‘No!’ and ‘Think this over!’ but it was clear to Will that Dustin’s Hail Mary wasn’t going to be redacted. Will smiled. 

“Okay,” he said, laying down the playing cards he’d packed weeks ago and forgotten about when they remained unused. “Draw a card, Ser.”

Dustin reached out, hesitating as his hand hovered over the spread cards. Will watched with interest and growing anxiety. He’d never actually had anyone use the Deck of Many Things before in a game. Most people agreed it was too chaotic and could cause too many problems. Will had only introduced it to torment his players with but he hadn’t really expected anyone to use it. After a moment, Dustin finally settled on a card and flipped it over to reveal the ace of hearts. Will grinned, changing his voice to be a gravelly whisper. 

“Ser Merrik, The Fates have smiled upon you. You now have it within your power to erase one event from history, wiping it clean, as if it never was. What thread do you choose to unravel, bard?”

Dustin considered for a moment before grinning. 

“I want The King of Light and Illusion to fail his counterspell against Power Work Kill from three rounds of combat ago.”

Will grinned as well, pleased with the answer. Dustin could have totally derailed the game if he’d picked something else. Instead, the other man had chosen to keep the story intact but put an end to the combat and defeat the villain in one fell swoop. Will slowly sat down and began describing the scene in detail. How time rewound and all the players who’d fallen during those rounds of combat had been brought back, how the great king of the Fey failed his counterspell and was killed by the party Warlock putting an end to him and his massacre. The players broke into celebratory cheers and Will felt happy, relaxed even. 

Will didn’t pride himself on many things but his campaigns and his storytelling abilities were one thing he knew he did well. Will watched the players celebrate, drink, and praise Dustin while thanking Will for the campaign. Will even indulged in a drink or two himself. It was nice, really nice to be accepted and fit in for once. Will enjoyed this moment, only wishing he had someone to share it with. Even surrounded by friends, Will was lonely (incredibly lonely). When he finally excused himself, slipping away through the throngs of people without being noticed, Will returned to his dorm to fall asleep alone, again. 

**

September came and went, falling into October and still no soulmate made themselves known. Will had been invited to a Halloween party by Dustin but he’d declined, choosing instead to visit the library to study. At least it was quiet there. Will only left when the librarian informed him it was time to close. Will trudged back towards home the dark, stopping in the quad to eat some fruit he’d saved from dinner. It was warm and over ripe now but Will didn’t mind. He liked the sweet taste and the texture, even if the smell was a little cloying. When the fruit was gone and Will was out of excuses to not return to the dorm for another night alone, he finally headed back. 

Will unlocked the door and pushed it open around one in the morning, freezing when he came face to face with Dustin and his friends all seated on the lower bunks and desk chairs and all dressed as women. One was speaking enthusiastically, making gestures with his hands while he spoke. 

“So I’m sitting there, barbeque sauce on my titties-”

The man speaking was cut off as the group all turned to face Will who was motionless in the doorway, vision narrowing to pinpoints, focusing in on the man who’d been telling the story when Will entered the room. 

Dustin was talking now, maybe introducing Will, but he couldn’t hear his roommate. Will couldn’t focus on anything other than the man sitting on his bottom bunk, the one who’s story had been cut short by Will’s entrance. 

The man was in a tight, black, almost rubber looking body suit, absolutely covered in glitter, a sequined bodice squeezing his waist, and a blond wig in his lap. His makeup was starting to smear and it looked like he’d used something to contour his skin and give the illusion of breasts from where his chest peeked out above the hem of his corset. Will stared at him, at his dark brown curls and darker eyes and froze, mouth parted like a fish. Will felt something tug at his stomach, like threads of yarn that had twisted around his intestines and pulled at him, making Will feel a little sick. Dustin spoke again. 

“Will? You okay? Listen, I know this is a weird thing to walk in on but I promise we don’t typically hang looking like this. We all went to that Halloween party as pop sensations from the 90s. I’m Brittany Spears, Lucas is Mariah Carey, Max is Christina Aguilera, Mike’s Madonna, and El is Mandy Moore. I swear, this has an explanation. Guys, this is my roommate, Will.”

Will tried to speak, tried to summon the words he’d practiced his whole life. As he stared at the man dressed as Madonna, he couldn’t remember them. 

Holy shit. This was him, the person Will had waited a lifetime for and all Will could do was stare at him and sputter like an idiot. What were the words? Will had practiced this, he really had. The words had to be there, trapped in his shocked mind, Will just had to rattle them free. _Somewhere I have never traveled, gladly beyond._... What the fuck was it?

“Th-The v-voice of your eyes…” he trailed off, stuttering terribly. “The-the voice… is d-deeper than all the roses…”

The man, Madonna, _Mike_ blinked at him. 

“What?” he asked, confusion clear on his face, head tilted to listen to what Will was trying to say. 

Will swallowed hard and tried again, knowing he was botching this, this moment he’d waited twenty years for. 

“N-n-nobody, not even… even the rain h-has… has… such small hands,” he finally choked out, burning red, beyond humiliated as those dark eyes bore into him, still curious but baffled by Will’s total incompetence at introducing himself. 

“Um… Yeah. E. E Cummings, right?” a red headed woman asked, catching Will’s attention. “I’m in your English class. Is that who you’re doing your paper on? I’m Max, by the way.”

Will was grateful that she’d interjected, turning attention away from Will and his awkward babbling. Will swallowed again and nodded, a lie, but an excuse for his behavior. 

“Y-Yeah. Sorry, I was studying and I’m just really tired. I-I’m Will,” he said, miraculously managing to sound (mostly) like a normal person for once. 

The group greeted him in turn, ending with Mike. Will stared at him, searching for anything, any glimmer of recognition on the other man’s face but found none. Eventually, Mike broke eye contact to look back at the others. 

“Guys, it’s late. We should let Dustin and Will get some sleep. I need to shower, it’s gonna take forever to get this glitter off anyway,” he said, standing. 

Will averted his gaze, watching Mike from the corner of his eye as the man stood. He looked _amazing_ , the body suit accentuating every curve and line, the heels making his already long legs go on forever and… and he put one of his big hands on the small of the woman dressed as Mandy Moore’s back to help her stand and lead her out. 

Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh no. He was involved with her, wasn’t he? He was straight and the universe really had fucked up and Will was an idiot and had made a fool of himself and…

Dustin stood as well. 

“Hey, I’m gonna shower too. Sorry if we got glitter on your stuff,” he apologized, offering Will a half smile. “Get some sleep. buddy. You look really tired.”

Will nodded, willing the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes to stay exactly where they were until Dustin had cleared the room and he was alone. Absolutely humiliated and heart broken at finally, _finally_ meeting his soul mate only to be right, right about the universe fucking up and about him being an idiot (so stupid), Will crawled up onto his bunk and collapsed, burying his face in the pillow and let the tears fall. 

Will was so stupid, so fucking stupid and foolish and fucked up. Of course with Will’s luck, not only did his soulmate not recognize him (thanks to his stuttering and botched words), he was already involved with someone, with a _woman_. 

Will shouldn't have been surprised. That was exactly the kind of thing that would happen to him. What was the chance that Will would hear that same phrase again as the first thing he ever heard someone say? Mike had to be it, the one, didn’t he? And he was incompatible, already involved and completely uninterested. He didn’t even recognize Will. How could Mike not recognize him? Will let out a choked sob and closed his eyes, praying the tears would stop before Dustin got back. 

**

Monday morning, Will was seated in the lecture hall of his sociology class, curled close around his backpack, laptop already set up and ready to take notes when someone flopped down in the seat next to him. Will glanced up, surprised. No one ever sat in Will’s little corner. Will had chosen it deliberately because it was in the front row where he could see but right next to the door so he could slip in and out without much fuss and avoid the crowds. Most people flocked to the back or center rows, leaving Will all the space and privacy he could want. Having someone actually sit so near him was unexpected, especially when the ‘prime real estate’ as far as seating went was still available. Will blinked in confusion at the first person to sit next to him all semester.

It was Mike. 

Will shrunk away, curling further around his clutched backpack and turned to stare intently at the floor of the lecture hall as the other man settled in, setting up his own laptop and ran a hand through his dark curly hair. Mike looked over at Will, making the smaller man freeze like a deer in the headlights, trying to pretend he wasn’t even there. 

“Hey. Will, right? I’m Mike. We met Friday night but uh, I was wearing a corset and had a lot of makeup on so you might not recognize me,” the taller man said, extending a hand. 

“I-I remember you,” Will mumbled, squeezing Mike’s hand briefly before withdrawing his own back to cling to his backpack again. 

Oh god, Mike had touched him. Will had actually felt Mike’s skin and it was warm and dry and so… remarkably normal. Will glanced over again as Mike finished setting up his laptop and dropped his bookbag near his feet. Without all the makeup, the concealer on his face blanching his skin, Mike had a smattering of freckles that stood out across his nose and cheeks. His brown eyes were darker than Will remembered, but maybe that was because there wasn't any eye shadow to draw attention away from the iris and to the rest of Mike’s face.

“So, is it okay if I sit here? You’re the only person I know in this class. This isn’t someone else’s seat, is it?” Mike asked, turning to look back at Will. 

Will quickly looked away and shrugged, mumbling about how there wasn’t assigned seating. Mike nodded, pulling out his textbook and a highlighter. Will watched the other man from the corner of his eye as the professor began speaking. Mike typed steadily, only pausing to chew on his highlighter or raise his hand to answer questions, drawing attention to Will’s little corner and making Will shrink a little at the eyes turned to his general vicinity. Every time Mike spoke, his adams apple bobbed, the tenor of his voice echoed through Will’s ears like a drum and Will shivered at the sound. 

Will could barely hear the professor speaking, he was too distracted by Mike’s close proximity. Jesus Christ, how was he supposed to concentrate when all he wanted to do was touch Mike, grab him and shake him and ask why the other man didn’t recognize Will? Why hadn’t he rejoiced at finding his perfect other half? Why didn’t he even look at Will like something life changing and remarkable had happened to them? Will’s face felt hot and he wanted to scream. Class couldn’t be over soon enough. 

As the class began to wind down, Will packed his things quickly, wanting to escape and run and just catch his breath, desperate to escape nearness to this man who barely knew Will even existed. When Will stood to make his retreat and hurried to the door, Mike pushed it open for him and Will froze again, staring at the big, thin hand that held the door open. Will had thought he could scurry away before Mike even noticed but the other man had long legs and walked quickly, easily catching Will as he fled. 

“What class do you have next?” Mike asked, rousing Will from his stupor so the shorter man could slip past him into the hall. 

“Oh um, Art History but it’s not until two,” Will replied, trying to remember how to use his legs and just _go_ already. 

“Nice. I’ve got Third World Cinema at one thirty. Wanna grab lunch since we’ve got the time?” Mike asked, smiling in a friendly, inviting manner. 

Will tried not to focus on Mike’s lips (the fullness of them) and just form the words to speak. 

“I, uh, um, okay,” he finally said weakly, voice sounding pathetically small. 

“Cool. You eat on campus or off?” the curly haired man asked, glancing at his phone before pocketing it. 

“On,” Will whispered, embarrassed that he couldn’t seem to find any volume to his voice. 

Mike nodded and slung his backpack over one broad shoulder. 

“C’mon. I wanna beat the rush,” the taller man explained, looking down at Will who tripped over his own feet as he moved. 

Mike reached out to catch Will beneath the elbow to steady him as he fell and Will almost choked on a sob. God dammit, Will wanted so badly to lean into the touch, the hand steadying him, but he couldn't. Will had waited _so long_ to meet Mike and all he wanted to do now was start their adventure together and he _couldn’t_. This wasn’t anything like Will had imagined. 

Will had thought they would recognize each other and fall into each other’s arms and that would be that. Instead, Mike didn’t know Will. Well, not as anything other than a classmate and Dustin’s roommate. Mike wasn’t even _available_ , he hadn’t waited for Will to find him. What if Mike was a Denier and wanted to refuse fate and had the tattoo removed before even reading what it said and that’s why he didn’t recognize Will? Was that why he wasn’t acknowledging what was meant to be between them? Will wanted to cry when Mike released him. 

“You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Will stammered, refusing to look at the other man. 

“Okay. You like the Thai wraps? Or do you prefer something else?” Mike asked, pausing to look around the cafeteria, trying to decide what to eat. 

Will looked at Mike, at his impassive face and felt a wave of nausea. Didn’t Mike feel that? Couldn’t he feel the string of fate, pulling, tugging at them and didn’t it make him feel sick to deny it? Will felt like snakes were nesting in his stomach, he could barely stand the thought of food. 

“The, uh, the Korean comfort bowls are good…” he murmured, looking down again, begging his stomach to settle. 

“Okay, sounds good. Are they spicy?” Mike asked, still scanning the room. 

Will shrugged, not looking up for fear his eyes and face would be red. 

“I can be. They have different sauces you can choose from,” he confirmed, face still feeling hot.

Mike nodded, making his way to the stand Will had referred to. Will watched Mike’s back, studying the broadness of it. Mike was ridiculously good looking (another cruel joke, Will was sure of that. How unfair could this get?). Mike rested his hands in the pockets of his faded jeans, looking over the ingredients as he made his selection, his overstuffed backpack still resting on one shoulder like it was no effort at all. Will felt small and self conscious in comparison. After he’d ordered his own food and paid for it, Mike turned to look at him. 

“Inside or in the quad?”

“Quad. If you don’t mind,” Will added quickly, not wanting to dictate everything they did without asking. 

“I don’t mind. The weather’s nice,” Mike said, leading the way, cutting through the growing crowd with ease. 

Will followed obediently, sitting on the grass as Mike set his backpack down to settle in. Will watched as Mike stirred his bowl, dark eyes trained on it. 

“I’ve never seen purple rice before,” the freckled man commented as he took a bite. “It’s good.”

Will nodded, not speaking and poked at his own food. It didn’t seem like Mike was having any of the nausea Will was experiencing. 

“So, how long have you been a student here?” Mike asked, still mixing his bowl with every bite. 

“Two years,” Will replied, looking intently at his food.

“I transferred this year,” Mike continued, apparently not minding that he was having to carry the bulk of the conversation. “Thought I’d save some money by doing community college for a while but they didn’t have the program I wanted.”

“What program are you in?”

“Technical Theater. Lighting, sound, that kind of thing. You?”

“Oh, I haven’t declared yet,” Will explained, feeling a little embarrassed. “I’m just getting my gen eds out of the way right now.”

“That’s cool. The uh, the costumes we were all wearing on Friday, you know, when we met, those were props from my costume design class. As you can see, I don’t usually dress that flashily,” Mike laughed, gesturing to his every day clothes. 

Will finally glanced up, daring to look at Mike as he motioned to himself. 

“Costume design? I thought you were into lighting and sound?”

“I am but I want to learn about the other aspects of theater too. Plus I need the prerequisites to get into the more advanced classes. I’ve got costume makeup on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

“So why are you taking sociology?” Will asked, lowering his eyes again. 

“I need the humanities credit,” Mike explained with a shrug.

“So did you do your own makeup for Halloween?” Will asked, finally taking a bite of his own food, feeling some of the nausea and unease slipping away. 

Mike laughed, causing Will to raise his eyes to watch the other man. God, his laugh was great. So deep and surprised and maybe a little bashful?

“Yeah. I actually did all of ours that night. The girls didn’t even want to help, they all said I had more experience than them. Well, at least with the big dramatic makeup.”

Will shrunk a little. Oh yeah. Mike had a girl. Will shifted, closing the lid to his food, suddenly not hungry anymore. 

“It’s almost one,” Will mentioned, still looking away.

“I know. I’ve gotta get going. I’ll see you around though, right? On Wednesday? Is it okay if I sit next to you again?” Mike asked, raising to his feet to stand. 

“Yeah, sure.”

“Cool. See you then,” the other man said with a wave as he pulled his backpack on and turned to go. 

Will watched him, feeling the lump that had been growing in his throat harden into a golf ball sized knot as Mike disappeared from view. 

**

A few weeks passed and Mike didn’t seem to get bored of Will (even though Will had been certain Mike would eventually). 

In fact, he continued to sit next to Will every sociology class they had and ate lunch with him after. Will started to relax, to open up a little. He told Mike about his goals, his hobbies, and his family. He started inviting Mike to study with him on the weekends at the library before his D&D sessions and the taller man accepted. Mike did the same, telling Will about where he grew up, his own interests, and the school activities he was involved with. Will even bought tickets to see the school’s rendition of “Into the Woods”. Mike wasn’t part of the cast and he was only on stage during the dark to change the set pieces but Will liked watching anyway. He even considered waiting by the stage door to talk to Mike after but decided against it (the nausea was getting bad again. Will just wanted to go home and rest).

Now, Will stood outside of the library, swaying on his feet while Mike stood next to him, arms crossed over his chest. A big ‘closed for renovations’ sign hung across the door, turning the pair away from their study grounds. Will swayed again, a little light headed from the nausea he felt. Mike sighed and turned to the shorter man, shifting his weight from one food to the other. 

“You wanna study at my dorm tonight? Lucas is out with Max so we’ll have the place to ourselves,” he suggested, still looking at Will. 

Will hesitated, unsure. Mike still hadn’t acknowledged their connection (Will didn’t know if he ever would). If Mike even had the words they were well hidden beneath his clothes much the same way Will’s were. Will wanted desperately to be alone with Mike, to have privacy to just enjoy him, even if Will never got to touch him beyond a friendly pat on the back. Will dared to glance at the taller man from beneath his eye lashes and lowered his face to hide his expression. 

“Yeah, that works for me.”

Mike smiled and turned to lead the way, Will walking in step with him. 

Mike’s dorm was just as small as Will’s but it had more decorations and felt more like a home. Mike’s desk wasn’t nearly as bare as Will’s and the walls were covered in posters. The tall man had his laptop set up with backlights that changed colors and wireless speakers on either side of the desk and the shelves above held all kinds of nick knacks; playbills, masks, textbooks, and novels. Will glanced around for a place to sit before deciding on the bottom bunk while Mike took the computer chair, wheeling it over to sit across from him. 

They each flipped open their textbooks and Mike reached over, fingers brushing against Will’s as he helped the other man find the chapter on deviation and deviant behaviors. Will flushed at the touch and moved away a little, pulling the textbook onto his lap near his chest so he could read quietly. Mike withdrew his hand and settled in to read as well, chewing his pen as he did. Will watched from over the edge of his textbook as Mike pursed his lips from time to time (so pretty, so full). Will looked away, a feeling of guilt for having leered at Mike without his knowledge or consent riding through him. Will tried to concentrate on his reading, only pausing when the chapter came to a section on Defiers. 

Will knew he read faster than Mike who paused to scratch notes into the margins or highlight relevant information. Would Mike react to that when he got to that section? Was that what Mike was doing? Or had Will botched his words so badly that Mike simply didn’t recognize them and he honestly didn’t know who Will was? Will glanced over the edge of his textbook again to watch Mike chew on his pen and read. 

The taller man raised his pen from where it was between his teeth to scribble something down before returning the pen to it’s resting place in his mouth. Will sat motionless, waiting, hoping to see a reaction of some kind. Was that a pause? Did it mean anything? What about that furrow of Mike’s brow? The curly haired man glanced up, catching Will watching him and Will flushed, quickly turning away. When he peaked up again, Mike was still looking at him. 

“You alright?” Mike asked, shifting, making the chair squeak beneath his weight. 

“Yeah.”

“You sure?” the taller man asked, still watching Will with interest. 

The other man met Mike’s dark eyes for a moment, his own flicking down to look at Mike’s lips again before looking back up and nodding. 

“Yeah, I’m okay,” he whispered, throat feeling tight as another (now familiar) wave of nausea swept over him. 

Mike shifted again, rolling his chair a little closer and bumped his knees against Will’s. Will turned away, butterflies and anger mixing with the nausea to make his stomach roll and coil. Something must have shown on his face because Mike rolled closer still, knees still touching Will’s. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” the man asked, laying his textbook closed on his lap, using the pen as a bookmark. 

Will clenched his jaw, trying to force down the battling feelings. He finally looked up at Mike whose face was less than a foot away from Will’s own. Will pursed his lips, anger winning the battle that raged within him. 

“Why don’t you know who I am?” he burst out, eyes and nose stinging. 

“What do you mean?” Mike asked, not withdrawing despite the sudden outburst. 

“I mean, why don’t you know who I am?” Will demanded again, slamming his own textbook closed. “I knew who you were the moment I heard you speak and-and-and I’ve waited years to meet you and you, you didn’t even _react_!” Will hissed, voice raising a little in frustration. 

Mike flinched a little but held his position. After a moment, the tall man sighed and hunched his shoulders. 

“I know who you are. You’re Will Byers. You’re twenty years old, you have an older brother and a mom, a step dad, and a bio dad you never see. You’re undeclared because you want an art degree but are scared people will laugh at it and you won’t be able to survive on that if it’s what you get your degree in so you put your dreams on the backburner. You’re quiet and shy outside of your comfort zone and you had a broken ankle as a kid that still hurts sometimes when the weather changes. I know you’re afraid of carp because one bit you when you were swimming in the quarry when you were younger and I know you cried watching Star Trek with your mom because you thought Levar Burton wouldn’t be able to see to read books in The Reading Rainbow anymore. I know you, Will. I’ve been trying to _get_ to know you for _months_.”

Mike sighed, leaning forward so his elbows rested on his knees while he watched the other man. 

“Months? But we only met in October. We started talking in November,” Will said, confused, eyes still burning. 

“Will, I saw you on the first day of classes. We’ve been in the same class the whole time, you know. You sat in front, where you always do, and you were hoping no one noticed you watching Bob Ross videos on Youtube. You were by yourself in the corner like you always are and you were doodling instead of paying attention. You kept doing it, sitting by yourself, watching different videos and drawing every class. I kept waiting to see if your routine would change and it didn’t.”

“So you felt sorry for me,” Will whispered, humiliation rising. “You’re hanging out with me because you saw a loser and a freak by themselves and you felt sorry for me. Is that it?”

“No, I didn’t feel sorry for you. I just felt confused. You were so social before but when class started you were so withdrawn. I didn’t get it, so I watched you and tried to figure out what changed. I asked Dustin about it and he said you were just shy, so I didn’t want to intrude on you or your space but after Halloween, I just figured…”

“What do you mean, that I was social before?” Will asked, still confused. 

He glanced away to hide the redness in his face and eyes, thoughts racing. 

Mike looked away too, trying to find the words to express himself. He looked back at Will and tilted his head, opening his mouth to speak.

“‘I need everyone to make a dexterity saving throw, at disadvantage because you’re all drunk’”, Mike finally said, eyes locked on Will to see his reaction. 

Will froze. 

“W-what?”

“The first thing I ever heard you say. You know, at the D&D thing at the beginning of the year. To be honest, I had no idea what it meant when I first saw the words. I actually had to look it up online to even figure out it was a tabletop gaming reference of some kind. So when Dustin said he was playing in a game I asked if I could come along, you know, to see if I could find the person who said it. But um, you guys were busy and I didn’t want to bother you so I waited until you were done. I was hoping to catch you after but you kind of disappeared. When Dustin said you were his roommate, I asked if he could invite you out for Halloween but he said you had to study. It uh, wasn’t ideal, how we met,” Mike trailed off, flushing a little and looking a little embarrassed. 

Will stared at Mike, mouth open, totally befuddled. 

“‘So I’m sitting there, barbeque sauce on my titties’...”

Mike laughed, blushing harder. 

“Ha, yeah. Not exactly how i’d planned on introducing myself to you but um, at least hard to miss, right?” Mike asked, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. 

Will laughed, surprise and relief flooding him. 

“Yeah, pretty hard to miss.”

Mike did a little half shrug, still embarrassed. Will looked up at the other man, eyes still watery.

“Well, why didn’t you say anything? I thought you didn’t know who I was,” Will whispered, voice scratchy from the tightness in his throat. 

Mike glanced away. 

“I uh, I wanted to get to know you, you know, organically,” Mike explained, not meeting Will’s eyes. “I wanted _you_ to be able to get to know me without all the pressure. I didn’t want you to feel like you were forced into interacting with me, _being_ with me because um… Because that’s what we were supposed to do,” Mike finished, thumbing the pages of his textbook. 

Will hesitated and looked away, unsure. 

“Well, now that you know me… Do you… Do you want me?” Will asked, voice quiet, afraid of the answer. “Or um, did you want to Defy?”

Will jerked, surprised when one of Mike’s large hands cupped his face, asking Will to look at him. Will did, taking the time to examine Mike’s face, his pained expression. 

“I have wanted you since before I met you. Seeing you for the first time, hearing your voice, it was like coming home. You’re perfect for me. I-I just didn’t know if I was perfect for you and I didn’t want you to feel forced into anything…”

“Didn’t you feel sick, from denying?” Will asked, recalling his own nausea and lightheadedness, the fevers and chills, the sweating and shaking he’d had for weeks. 

Mike looked confused at the question. 

“I didn’t deny you. I just gave you space so you could decide for yourself. Why, did you feel sick?”

Will paused, still confused. Was it only him then? Had he… had Will been denying Mike, not the other way around? Will had tried to repress his feelings, hadn’t made a move because of Mike’s girlfriend and… Oh.

“What about your girlfriend?” Will asked suddenly, avoiding answering the question Mike had presented him with. 

Mike sighed. 

“I broke up with her. It wasn’t fair for her for me to date her while I was pursuing someone else and um… after the first few weeks where we were getting to know each other, I knew I didn’t feel the same way about her that I felt about you,” the freckled man said, looking a bit unsure of himself.

Will swallowed hard and wet his lips to speak. 

“You… have feelings for me?”

Mike looked Will over, brown eyes burning into him. 

“I think I’ve always had feelings for you. I mean… before we even met. Didn’t you… don’t you feel the same way?”

Mike’s voice sounded so small, so… afraid of Will’s answer. 

“I-I just…” Will trailed off, surging forward to kiss Mike, knocking the other man back as his chair rolled beneath the force of Will’s kiss. 

Mike planted his feet, digging in his heels to stop further movement and steadied himself against Will’s shoulders, clutching at him. Will wanted to melt into that touch, the feeling of Mike holding him close as they ate at each other, desperate and hungry. When they connected, their mouths parted, inviting the other in, and Will felt a swell of emotion. 

He wanted to pull at Mike, force their bodies together until nothing, not even flesh separated them. Mike was everything, _everything_. He was Will’s missing piece, the part of his soul that had fractured when atoms were born, and Will wanted to melt into Mike and become the whole person they were always meant to be. Will didn’t even care when Mike started pulling at Will’s shirt, pushing himself forward in his chair as he pushed Will back onto the bunk. 

The weight of Mike above him felt solid and heavy and _real_. Will didn’t want to ever part from Mike’s kiss, didn’t care if he suffocated from it. If Will ever got to decide how to die, it would be here, like this. He’d never felt more complete. Every touch of skin on skin felt like puzzle pieces coming together, falling into place. When Mike pushed at the hem of Will’s shirt up, asking him to remove it, Will complied without a second thought. 

Will had always thought he’d be self conscious, nervous for someone to see his body (and truth be told, he was, a little). Will knew he wasn’t particularly athletic, that he had a soft, gentle layer of baby fat over his belly that hid most of the muscle growth beneath it. When the shirt came off, Will blushed, holding his breath when Mike stripped off his own. Mike didn’t have baby fat; if anything, Mike was a little thin. Will sucked in his belly harder, hoping Mike wouldn’t notice the difference in their physiques. When Mike bowed to kiss Will on the stomach, near the belly button, Will held his breath. 

“Breathe,” Mike whispered, lips hovering over Will’s skin. “It’s okay to breathe. You’re gorgeous and I want to see you.”

Will hesitated, shuddering at the words and slowly exhaled, feeling Mike finally lower his mouth to kiss the soft expanse of Will’s stomach. It felt amazing. Mike licked and kissed Will with abandon, pulling at Will’s pants and removing them and then his own until they were nude and flush against each other. They pressed into one another, grinding and moving in an uneven, inexperienced way as their hands clawed and stroked the other’s skin. 

Will had never had sex before. Hell, he’d barely done more than practice kissing with friends or awkwardly with highschool girls at parties. This was so different, so much more meaningful. Mike didn’t feel soft or unsure or taste like lip gloss. He was rough and firm and his stubble was abrasive against Will’s skin, his legs and arms caged Will beneath him as he ground his cock into Will’s hip. Will gasped a little, pulling away as he pressed against Mike’s chest to halt him. 

“Wait wait wait,” he gasped, trying to think clearly with his throbbing dick and full heart and emotions running wild. “What about your roommate?”

“He’s out with Max, he won’t be home for hours,” Mike assured the other man, worrying at Will’s throat, nipping him lightly. 

“Are you sure?” Will asked, wiggling and twisting his neck to look at the door uneasily. 

“Yeah, I’m sure. You want me to stop?” Mike asked, pulling away a little to lean back and look at Will. 

Will shook his head, body pulsing with desire and heat and not even an ounce of fear. He pressed himself into Mike, pulling down hard with his arms around the taller man’s shoulders so their heads bumped together and he buried his chin against Mike’s freckled shoulder, forcing him close with Will’s eyes free to look down the expanse of Mike’s body, his beautiful, broad back. A little flash of color caught his attention and Will twisted, trying to look further over Mike’s shoulder and honed in on the words scrawled across the back of Mike’s left hip. 

What an inconvenient place to have his words. Not only were they on Mike’s back, they were so low on his body. How long had it taken Mike to notice them, let alone decipher their meaning? Had Mike sat with his back to a mirror, trying to read them? Had he used his phone to take a picture? Simply asked Lucas to see what they said?

Will closed his eyes, fighting back tears. Mike had looked for him. He’d fucking _researched_ the meaning of the words and sought out the places he might find him. He’d given Will time to get to know him, get to know each other without the pressure of what it all meant. Mike was perfect, so perfect in every way. Will was shaking with emotion and he wanted to weep he was so happy. Beneath Will’s hands, Mike shifted. 

“You sure you’re okay? We really can stop,” Mike offered, petting Will’s hair gently. 

Will shook his head again. 

“I don’t want to stop. I want you to make love to me,” Will whispered, burying his nose in Mike’s dark curls. 

Mike shivered and thrust into Will’s hip again. 

“I-I don’t have a condom,” he whispered, head bowed. 

“I don’t care. I love you. I love you and I finally found you and I just want you,” Will whispered back. “You want me too, don’t you?”

“I really do,” Mike replied, kissing Will on the temple. “I love you, Will. I wanna make love with you.”

Will couldn’t help the giggle that escaped him even though he tried to conceal it. He pressed his mouth against Mike’s shoulder to muffle the sound but it was ineffective. Mike shifted, trying to look at Will and raised an eyebrow curiously. 

“Are you laughing?”

Will giggled again, trying to keep his mouth covered and stop the little shakes that moved his body as the sounds fought to escape him again. Will finally swallowed them down and looked up to meet Mike’s chocolate eyes, face a little red from holding back the sounds. 

“I’m sorry. It’s just, it’s ridiculous, isn’t it? How can we possibly love each other? We barely know each other. I mean, we have maybe ten, twenty hours of conversation between us. I've spent more time watching MasterChef than we’ve spent talking,” Will tried to explain, feeling a little foolish. 

“Are you trying to say you love Gordon Ramsay more than me?” Mike asked, smiling while he kissed Will’s brow, his eyelashes, his nose. 

Will chuckled.

“Well, as sexy as Gordon Ramsay is, no. That’s not what I meant. It’s just that… I didn’t know I could feel this way, that anyone could feel this way about _me_ ,” Will said, eyes watering again. 

“We were meant for eachother. I think we’re always going to be meant for eachother. This life, the next, and all the ones before them, forever and always. I’m so glad I got to find you, Will. So fucking lucky. I want to spend every life I get with you, meeting you, learning everything there is to know about you, and loving you,” Mike said, voice soft as he rested the weight of his lower body against Will who relaxed and enjoyed the feel of it. 

After a moment, Will tilted his head, catching Mike in another kiss and hitched his hips up at an angle, encouraging the other man to continue. This was perfect. Mike was perfect and all Will wanted to do was feel the other man around him, in him, becoming a part of him. Mike worked Will gently, with hesitant touches and gentle kisses, coaxing him open and asking him to relax as Mike spread lube over him, inside him, and finally over himself. 

Will sucked in his breath and held it, trying to prepare himself. 

“Breathe, Sweetheart. You have to breathe,” Mike soothed, helping Will hook a leg up and around Mike’s waist as he lined himself up. 

Will threw his arms up, above his head to clutch the headboard between his fingers and braced himself as Mike let out a low, throaty sound and pushed his way inside. Will held tight to the headboard as wave after wave of nausea from the denial of his soul’s other half flowed away from him, replaced by warmth with each gentle kiss and thrust. When Mike dipped his head and suddenly latched onto Will on the underside of his bicep, Will let out a surprised squeak. Mike’s mouth was sucking on the flesh there, nose dangerously close to Will’s armpit. The smaller man wiggled, uncomfortable. What was Mike doing? Will glanced down to watch and forgot to breathe again. 

Oh. Mike was kissing and biting his words while he moved inside of Will. It was the most exciting, erotic thing Will had ever seen. Will spasmed, constricting around the taller man who groaned and squeezed Will’s cock in return. Mike quickened his pace, making Will whimper and twitch beneath him. The growing pleasure and warmth only grew the longer his skin touched Mike’s and Will tried to lose himself in the feeling, to bury Mike within his body by squeezing his thighs tight around the other man. It was intense and just almost painful and Will let out a sound that was a mix between a whimper and a moan as he clung to the headboard and squeezed his eyes shut. 

“You okay?” Mike asked, releasing his mouth from Will’s arm and slowing his speed a little to look at Will. “You okay, Sweetheart?”

“I’m alright, I’m alright. I just need a second,” Will assured the taller man, keeping his eyes closed to help center himself and adapt to the feeling of everything he was experiencing. 

“You need me to slow down?” Mike questioned, curling his body to look down at Will. 

Will hesitated. He didn’t want Mike to stop, to feel like Will couldn’t handle the intensity of Mike’s love making. But Will didn’t have any experience and it was so much and he was trying to adapt to it all as fast as he could. Will shifted, shaking his head but kept his eyes closed and tried to be as accommodating and comfortable as he could be with however Mike wanted to proceed. He still gripped the headboard, knuckles turning white from how tightly he held it. Something must have shown on his face though because Mike pulled further back to look down at Will and he slowed his speed even more. 

With it slower, deeper, it did feel better. Will kept his eyes closed until he felt Mike’s lips brush against his eyelids softly. 

“Hey, I’m not a mind reader. You can talk to me. Tell me what you want. How can I make this good?” Mike asked, still tugging and stroking Will with his free hand as he rebalanced himself with his other hand against the wall behind Will’s head. 

Will swallowed, uncertain. 

“Um, I mean… this is good. Can you just stay slow? Like this?”

“Yeah, you got it,” Mike agreed, kissing the bridge of Will’s nose, staying slow and deep, just the way Will asked him to. 

Will tried again to relax, letting his legs fall open as he hung onto the bed frame. Mike nuzzled against Will’s cheek, making Will open his eyes. 

“Put your arms around me,” Mike whispered, kissing Will’s cheek. 

Mike didn’t need to ask twice and Will released his hold to lace his fingers around the back of Mike’s neck, just beneath his hair. When Mike moved, Will moved with him. The feeling of something so deep inside him, the warmth and weight of Mike above him was amazing. Mike made a sound of appreciation as Will ran his fingers across Mike’s skin and the taller man bowed his head until it touched Will’s chest. Will slid a hand from Mike’s back to his face, urging him to raise his head. 

“Look at me. I want you to look at me,” Will whispered, squeezing his thighs tight around Mike’s waist again. 

Mike twisted his head and kissed Will’s palm and met his eyes steadily. When he did, Will had to remind himself to breathe yet again. It was intense, unbreaking eye contact and it made Will freeze up, lost in those dark eyes. Mike began to stroke Will in time to his thrusts and Will felt a tingling begin to pool in the pit of his stomach and spine. Will strained against the feeling, trying to control himself as his stomach turned to knots and his dick pulsed and throbbed beneath Mike’s touches. He jumped a little when Mike bumped his forehead against Will’s own. 

“Keep your eyes on me, Sweetheart. Eyes on me, okay Will?” Mike begged, thrusting a little more shallowly, snapping his hips a little faster. “God I just, I want you to look at me.”

Will quivered, unsure of what to do and totally helpless at the plea. It wasn’t the looking at Mike that caused it (Will could look at Mike _forever_ ), it was the fact that he was so close to orgasm and he’d never had one in the presence of another person before. What if he made a stupid face? What if he looked like an idiot or made some god awful, humiliating sound? Will nodded shakily and forced himself to maintain eye contact as Mike continued to work him steadily.

“Look at me, Sweetheart. God, fuck, just look at me. I want to watch you come. I want to see you when you do,” Mike begged again, rocking his hips against Will as he neared his own release. 

Will tried, he really did, but it was too hard; like trying to keep your eyes open during a sneeze. When he felt the waves of pleasure rolling over him, Will closed his eyes and threw his head back, a high, keening sound escaping him. He felt his whole body move, shake, quiver, and try to rise off the bed while Mike worked him faster, with intent. Will had never had this kind of stimulation before, had never had someone else stroking his cock through an orgasm, not letting up, not relenting even when it came almost too close to over stimulation. Will had never had anyone _inside_ when he came before. It was a lot, and Will fought every urge he had to claw and scratch at Mike, opting instead to cling to Mike and let those embarrassing sounds escape him. 

Mike didn’t seem to care. In fact, he seemed to drink them in, encouraging and praising Will as his own movements became erratic and shallow. When Will felt Mike tremble above him, inside him, he could have sworn he saw heaven. Mike pulsed and quaked, leaning heavily on Will who wrapped his arms around Mike’s shoulders, carded his finger through Mike’s soft curls. Jesus, this was real and this was happening and it was everything Will had ever dreamed it would be. Mike was part of him now, (had always been a part of him really) and they had finally found one another and Will refused to let him go. 

When Mike finally pulled himself up, propped up on his forearms, Will kissed his nose and wet temple. Mike nuzzled into the touch, wrapped himself around Will and let out a sigh. 

“Nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals the power of your intense fragility: whose texture compels me with the colour of its countries, rendering death and forever with each breathing. I do not know what it is about you that closes and opens; only something in me understands,” Mike whispered, closing his eyes as Will stoked his hair. 

“What?” Will asked, curious, still trying to catch his breath. 

“Somewhere I have never traveled, gladly beyond,” Mike said, not opening his eyes. “The poem you tried to say the night we met. I looked it up. It’s beautiful.”

Will flushed, recalling the embarrassment of his botched attempt at an introduction. 

“You’re very charming, you know. I like the poem but I prefer the dexterity save, truth be told,” Mike said, settling in more fully onto Will’s chest. 

“Why?” Will questioned, baffled as to why such a dorky, nerdy thing like asking for a dexterity save would be preferable to the poem he’d practiced. 

“Because it’s real. Because it’s you. Because I love you and I love everything you say. Because I got to see you in your comfort zone, acting naturally and happy before we ever met. I want to see you like that all the time, every hour for the rest of my life,” Mike finished, opening his eyes again to look at Will. “If you’ll let me.”

Will kissed Mike’s temple again, the sweat there the sweetest nectar he’d ever tasted. He’d let this beautiful, perfect, extraordinary man have whatever he wanted, for as long as he wanted, for as many lifetimes as he’d be lucky enough to have him for. Even when the sun died and the world finally ended, Will knew they’d find eachother again, maybe as the atoms they had begun existence as. Maybe then they could finally come together, reform as a whole and complete person. Will sighed and rested his arms around Mike’s broad shoulders, feeling his skin against Will’s own and felt at peace.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this little one shot as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm just taking a break from The Freedom of Falling because I needed to collect my thoughts about it and this story idea kept popping up whenever I tried to write anything else, so here we are. As always, comments and Kudos are appreciated. Take care of yourselves, and I'll see you in the next one.


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